WASHINGTON — The Supreme Court on Friday unanimously upheld a federal law banning TikTok beginning Sunday unless its China-based parent company, ByteDance Ltd., sells the platform to a U.S.-approved buyer.

The court ruled that the potential national security risks outweigh concerns about free speech and the app's 170 million U.S. users.

While existing TikTok users won’t lose access to the app immediately, new downloads and updates will be prohibited, which the Justice Department predicts will gradually render the app unusable.

The Biden administration has signaled it won’t enforce the law, which passed with bipartisan support, leaving its implementation to the incoming Trump administration.

President-elect Donald Trump has vowed to negotiate a resolution, citing TikTok’s popularity and his own significant following on the app.

TikTok CEO Shou Zi Chew expressed optimism about working with Trump to preserve the platform, though no sale appears imminent.

ByteDance has resisted selling TikTok, citing Chinese laws that restrict the export of its proprietary algorithm.

The court’s ruling highlighted the tension between national security concerns and First Amendment rights.

Digital rights groups criticized the decision, calling it harmful to free expression. Content creators and businesses reliant on TikTok fear significant losses.

“I’m very concerned about losing my business if TikTok shuts down,” said Desiree Hill, a small business owner in Georgia.

The controversy has underscored growing geopolitical tensions between the U.S. and China, with officials alleging that TikTok collects sensitive user data and could allow Beijing to manipulate content.

TikTok has denied these claims, stating no evidence of such misuse has been presented.

As the Sunday deadline looms, ByteDance faces increasing pressure to sell TikTok’s U.S. operations.

Investors such as former Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin and billionaire Frank McCourt have expressed interest in acquiring the platform. — Agencies